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“…I attended an ACIM meeting last night and the question arose:
Can the ego be taught? My immediate response was ‘yes.’
Although shortly after I started to question myself, saying inwardly; can
a false belief system be taught—can what was never real be taught? But
there still was something in me that questions this, believing the Course would agree with me. The Course speaks of this in rare form, such as these
two teachings: T-4.1.3—Spirit need not be taught, but the ego must
be. And, …spirit cannot perceive and the ego cannot
know. They are therefore not in communication and can never be in communication.
Nevertheless, the ego can learn, even though its maker can be misguided. My question is; how is it; what is it, that
the ego can be taught, and or can learn?...”
First, let’s define what is meant by “ego”. The ego is a thought
system in your mind that is a part of and is about the idea of the
universe-of-form-as-reality. It is about you (mind) limited to a self (body/personali…

My last two articles discussed setting boundaries in
relationships. A common question I get is that if one is spiritually aware
wouldn’t they not be bothered by others’ attacks or negativity. Yes, it’s true
that when you are spiritually aware you do not have a personal reaction to what
others say or do. But that does not mean that you want to be around dysfunction
if you have the choice.
First, I want to point out that people who are having
problems in their relationships have not yet reached a level of spiritual
awareness where they have stopped getting an emotional charge from others’
attitudes and behaviors. If they had reached that point they would not need to
ask how to deal with their relationships! Boundaries would be automatic. In
fact, a sign that someone with low-self-esteem is growing in their spiritual
awareness is that they are ready to start putting up boundaries with
dysfunctional others. A side-effect of growing spiritual awareness is a
healthier self.
But back to the…

“I appreciate your last e-newsletter and found the
question and your answer very interesting and valuable. However, I also
resonated with the questioner's statement that the Course does not address how to deal with issues at
the level of form. You said: "I'm not sure why you say ACIM does not
address what one should or should not do at the level of form when most of the
Workbook and much of the Text addresses this!" Could you provide an
example of how the Course addresses
what one should or should not do at the level of form, maybe in your next
newsletter?” – CT This course remains
within the ego framework, where it is needed. It is not concerned with what is
beyond all error because it is planned only to set the direction towards it.
(C-in.3) I
hear often enough that A Course in
Miracles does not deal with the level of form to assume that the perception
that it is an ethereal, impractical teaching must be a fairly common form of
ego (personal thought system) resistanc…

“I have been having some trouble withdrawing from some
‘friends’ that I no longer feel I want to spend time with. In the past I have
felt justified in confrontation and judgment when I felt I was right, but clearly,
after 13 years of study that is no longer an option I want to pursue. But, even
as I write this I want to list their "sins" and unfairness, proving
to you and the Truth in my right mind that they are the guilty ones and I the innocent victim…the bottom
line is I feel that they take advantage, been dishonest and without going into
more detail are ‘friends’ I no longer trust or want to spend time with them,
however I don't want to hurt them or, as I am so dying to do...tell them what I think is wrong with them. In Truth,
intellectually I know that they are characters I cast in my own play, speaking
my own scripted dialog and have done nothing that I didn't unconsciously want
them to do but in form I feel further contact would be toxic and very
uncomfortable…

I have been a student of A Course in Miracles since 1984, a life coach since 2000, and a mentor for students of A Course in Miracles and 4 Habits for Inner Peace since 2006. You can learn more about me and what I offer at my website, www.acimmentor.com.